Welcome to Gaia! ::

((Wow. Fishing. That's creative. xd ))

Azriel began to fall into a state of panic, watching what was happening to Rhone. Biting her lip, she looked toward the portal...

"Azriel, I think it would be best if someone whom Kratos is familiar with step over and approach him..."

"Dammit, Chiaro! We need to act fast!" >.<;; Without a second thought, she dashed over and stepped through the swirling vortex of purple. It was a rather light feeling, passing through. As if a moderate gale were blowing past her body. She landed softly on her feet on the other side, finding herself to be deep within...what seemed like a castle. Hidden in the shadows, behind a wall. It appeared there was no one in sight around her, so she began to peer out the edge.

The halls Azriel could see were mostly empty, save for a few of the lifeless beings patrolling them. "Are these...the real angels?" she whispered to herself, thinking out loud. She scratched at her chin for a moment, pondering...and decided to step out into the open.

"Azriel, what are you doing??" Chiaro questioned worriedly.

"Well think about it, Chiaro. Do we know where the heck Kratos is? This place is huge! Like I said, we need to act fast...and the fast way isn't always pretty. By getting caught like this, he can come to us instead."

She began to step casually into the line of sight of a patrolman, who instantly trained his eyes on her. "Halt! Who goes there?" he barked, approaching her swiftly, stopping a few feet before Azriel.

Another one had suddenly appeared out of the blue, covering her back in case she attempted to escape. He looked over her examiningly, eyeing her mismatched wings and shaking his head. "She isn't one of our kind at all. It appears we have an intruder."

The first one nodded and began to point his spear at the asymmetrically-winged girl. "Come quietly, and perhaps you shall not be harmed," he said in a firm tone that hinted that it wasn't very likely to happen. Azriel simply nodded meekly and started following, a little afraid but not showing it. Along the way, they ran into a third patrolman, whom the first told to go and inform Kratos, before leading Azriel to a prison cell.

"I hate to admit it, but...these beings actually strike me as creepy. They seem so dull...empty...lifeless..." Oscuro remarked as Azriel stared at them.

((Psst, Nine? I really have no idea where Kratos would be, so I leave that to you. xd ))

Cerberus walked over to Raine. "Hey, since I owe you one why don't I go in and help her?"

Kratos' insides had churned with prediction of an oncoming problem. He felt himself sinking from the inside, and assuming he had lost his sense of emotion, his first thought was a gravitational pull to the mass he was situated in. That concerned the seraph deeply, though was not to show it.

Currently situated in a room filled with magitechnology, the male regarded security video through camera placed throughout Derris-Kharlan. Only in times like these would those petty things be of use. Briefly examining the hundreds of screens, his glance passed through most before he took a double take. Tapping the screen with his index finger, the camera zoomed in order to get a clearer view. It seems that the lifeless angels had apprehended someone... but how in the world would such a thing be possible? Was it someone of a neighboring planet who was caught in the barrier of Derris-Kharlan? No, that was unlikely.

Running out of plausible possibilities, the male stood from his seat and briskly walked out the door, only to be met by one of the many lifeless angels.

"We have apprehended an intruder, m'lord." His voice rang with no emphasis, worry or any sort of emotion. Such a report caused no response from the auburn-haired seraph, not even a nod as he had brushed past nonchalantly.

"Thank you for your hard work." He heard the angel call to him as he quickly walked to the location of the girl apprehended.

Derris-Kharlan's walls had seemed endless. Though having enough days to lose count of being in such a maze of a place, the angel knew exactly where he was going. The hall leading to the prison chambers. Unknowingly, despite the male's inner concern, he kept to his brisk walk. With his gestures he showed the utmost authority and calm, seeming almost lifeless himself.

Turning the corner, the male was soon within earshot of the guard and the one taken into custody. He merely stood, his arms folded over his chest. Without even uttering a word, the lifeless angel halted his walking, turning to nod his head at his lord.

"Impeccable speed, my lord. Surely you know of the situation." His attitude towards Azriel was significantly different than that which he showed to his master. Kratos tilted his head upward, his expression unchanging.

"Restrain her." The ancient warrior clad in light whites and purples demanded before walking towards the two. The lifeless beings about them watched without expression at their leader's judgment.

"Yes sir." The guard responded, grasping onto the girls wrists and harshly pulling them back, urging her onto her knees with force.

Once she was beneath him, the angel halted before her, his expression stern. Though within his mind, the once-seraph of Cruxis depicted her characteristics, trying to match anything he might be aware of. Kratos was unable to do so, and that was intriguing.

"Who are you?" The question was simple.

(Long post is long, roflcakes. Sorry it's not as descriptive as I'd like, as, it was written very quickly.)

The male's eyes narrowed condescendingly, his features locked in their state of nonchalant.

"Azriel." He repeated quietly, his eyes making contact with those of the girl.

The guard with his hold upon her tightened his grip considerably, "do not lie to Lord Kratos", his voice was monotone, though with any twinge of threat it would make it that much more intimidating.

Kratos' attention was brought to the pain she was enduring. She was meek, and frail. The angel sighed, raising a hand to the guard. His death grip lessened by will of the seraph.

"Let her go." He urged, and the angel took a bound backwards, bowing his head. He remained near in the event that the girl was not as she seemed, though followed the auburn-haired male's words with absolute.

"Proof is needed before any action is taken. How is it Derris-Kharlan was brought so threateningly close to Aselia? I recall them, yes, yet how is it you are acquainted with them? Understand that these things are not possible, and I expect a wholesome, logical response from you." The male's words were deep, his stance resuming with his arms folded across his torso.

( Bawh, thanks. xD;; Azriel is so kyoote. ;u; )

((Aaaawww, you think so?! rofl ////

Sorry I was taking so long. Had to attend to a couple of minor chores. ^^;; ))

In the depths of Azriel's mind, Oscuro groaned in exasperation and facepalmed at Kratos' reply. Chiaro held her chin tightly, narrowing her eyes as she watched with keen anxiety. If it were possible to sweat in her spirit-like state, a bead would be running down the side of her face right now.

Subconsciously, Azriel brought her hands together before herself after they had been released, twiddling her fingers as she silently gathered her thoughts for a few seconds. Being of a simple mind, she felt she couldn't find the correct words to explain this as clearly as possible. She trained her eyes on his as she began to speak earnestly, trying to prove non-verbally that she she wasn't there to deceive.

"We had gathered materials to build a makeshift, um, portal, as well as a device that was able to pull Derris-Kharlan this close through it. This portal is being powered at the moment by Sheena's summon spirits, and Rhone is using his own mana with the other device... I-I'm afraid I can't get into any more specifics, as that's far beyond my comprehension..." She blushed slightly as she let out a nervous chuckle, embarrassed at showing a hint of ignorance. Tethe'alla's technology was still much for this Sylvaranti's mind to wrap around, even if it had been a year. "As for your acquaintances, we just...met through circumstances that pulled us together. You see..." She paused here to gather her thoughts again, realizing that there was much to reflect on, and that the group had formed in rather puzzling ways.

Knowing that her host's mind was about to drift out the window, Oscuro attempted to get her back on track. "Goddess DAMN it, Azriel, cut to the chase! Rhone's about to explode, or something!"

Azriel jerked in surprise at her dark self's outburst. "Eep! Right! Long story short, we've been alerted that the world is under threat of being destroyed by otherworldly forces. I'm...not...lying...I wouldn't dare lie about matters like this...but I swear, we can sort this all out once we get back there!"

((That didn't seem OOC to me. surprised ))

Azriel could swear that she was either going to faint or plant her face into her palm rather audibly when she heard Kratos didn't believe. She kept herself from doing either, however, when she heard seconds later that he would still go with her. She remained still for a moment, blinking, inwardly surprised. Then she shook her head from her daze and stepped quickly to his side.

"Thank you. Thank you, Lord Kratos," Azriel spoke up with a grateful smile. As they walked out of the prison area, she looked around at the surroundings...all those hallways...and her wings drooped as she began to bear a dumbfounded, gaping expression. She didn't know where she was, and did not keep any steps in her memory to retrace. "Oog. The portal. Now how do we get back to it from here...?"

Her light self began to speak up in her mind. "It is fortunate that Sheena used Luna as one of the summons to power it, or we'd be absolutely lost. I can train my senses to find her energy's signature. Give me a moment..." She brought the index and middle fingers of both her hands to her temples and shut her eyes in concentration, falling silent for a few seconds. "... ... ...There. Turn left."

"Ah, gotcha!" Azriel nodded, picking her wings up again, not realizing she was replying to Chiaro out loud in front of someone who most likely wasn't aware of her..."condition". Mentally reminding herself that they were pressed for time, she shoved her sense of courtesy aside for the moment and just grabbed Kratos by the wrist, tugging him along behind her as she navigated the hallways while Chiaro told her which corners to turn.

They reached the portal in a few minutes' time, still a swirling vortex of purple behind that wall from which Azriel came from. The angel's wrist still in hand, she tightened her grip and jumped through with him, that same feeling of a breeze brushing past her before touching down on terra firma back on the Fooji Mountains. There, she let go of Kratos and dropped to her knees, panting as if she felt her lungs were about to explode from practically sprinting the whole way through.

Seeing Azriel and Kratos emerge from the portal broke Sheena's concentration and her will on the Summon Spirits. Luna, Origin, and Maxwell vanished in a flash, as did the magical glyph at her feet. Her knees turned inward as she struggled to keep herself standing through her fatigue. "Kratos...Azriel...you made it..." she uttered between deep breaths.

((I'm laughing, picturing this in my head. rofl ))

Colette walked out of her house in Iselia, saddened after hearing what has happened. She needed to find everyone else! But how? She just promised her grandmother and father she would stay there for 4 days! She devised a plan: She would look for them right after she leaves Iselia.

[[Guess who? XD]]